The Piano
by Dr. Christie
Summary: One Shot. The Doctor isn't the only long-term inhabitant of the TARDIS. Some random really short stories about a piano. It's not as weird as it sounds. Contains Doctors 1,4,10, and 11, Sarah-Jane Smith, Susan, Amy, Rory, Rose, Martha, mentions of Jack.


**One Shot. The Doctor isn't the only long-term inhabitant of the TARDIS. Some random really short stories about a piano. It's not as weird as it sounds.  
><strong>

**Contains Doctors 1,4,10, and 11, Sarah-Jane Smith, Susan, Amy, Rory, Rose, Martha, mentions of Jack  
><strong>

**Right, so, if you're reading one of my other two longer stories, I'm trying to finish Loving the Impossible before Something in the Dark. I'm almost done (I'm such a slack- sorry), but I couldn't get this out of my head, so I wrote it up.**

**There are some spoilers for Doomsday, and The Girl Who Waited.**

**So, without further ado-  
><strong>

**The Piano**

The Doctor stared intently at the console's screen, trying to ignore the loud music flowing out of the phonograph that was sitting about half a foot away from his left ear. He didn't know why exactly he had let Rory play some of his old albums, but there was nothing he could do about it now, except try and stay standing.

The young nurse was apparently one of those humans who believed when you listened to music, it must be loud enough to almost rip your ear drums apart.

When he had complained about it to the young man, Rory had promptly responded, "Why don't you go somewhere else?".

And, another point that the Doctor was sour about, it seemed that the TARDIS console room was the only room in the whole TARDIS that contained a music-playing machine. He would have to fix that… when the music stopped playing.

He sighed, not that anyone could hear, and resigned himself to the fact that there was no possible way he could concentrate, and switched his attention away from the readings of the Time Vortex, to his human companions.

Amy and Rory were dancing around on the glass floor, spinning around each other, not even dancing to the right rhythm. At least they were having fun. Seeing yourself twenty nine plus years older and hating your best friend would shake anyone, but Amy seemed to be doing alright.

But then there was the fact that she hadn't seen him force Rory to choose between his current wife and the future version.

The troubles of time travel. Someone always got hurt.

Suddenly- the music stopped.

The Doctor jumped, the silence almost as painful as the ear-damaging noise a few seconds before. In his thoughts, he hadn't noticed Amy and Rory come up to the console.

"You alright?" Came the Scottish accent of one Amy Pond.

"I'm fine," He said with a forced smile. Then he frowned, "Although, I'm not too sure my ears will be. Do you have to play it so loud?"

"It's more fun," Rory said with a shrug, "Different types of music are meant to be played different ways. Rock's meant to be loud."

"Not all rock," The Doctor muttered.

"No, only specific genres, but still," Rory said, frowning, "Do you just not like rock?"

"What? No! I love rock, just not so loud," the Doctor said, running up to the console, "Why didn't you go find another room? There has to be one around here somewhere that you can destroy your eardrums to your hearts content."

"Well we did find one room that had a little sign that said 'Music Room', but it was locked," Amy said, "The TARDIS wouldn't let us in."

It was at that moment the Doctor remembered why. He had forgotten, because he had forced himself to.

"Why would it be locked?" Rory asked.

The Doctor contemplated the replies- 'None of your business' would just get them more curious, same with 'No reason'. 'Bad memories' would just prompt them to pry, unless they didn't… but he still didn't want to risk it.

"I'm not sure," he lied, "She does that sometimes, no idea why, though."

If they found anything suspicious in his reply, they didn't show it. Rory said something about getting something to drink and headed off to the kitchen, followed closely by Amy.

As Rory and Amy wandered off, the Doctor slipped out of the Console Room and headed off to the Music room.

The door opened easily for him, giving him a look into the large room. There were many different instruments- Elvis Presley's first guitar, a large purple instrument that glowed with a greenish light, the instrument that the Doctor had stolen from Van Statten's collection, and many others. The instruments were scattered about the room, some almost as tall as the twenty foot ceilings, some as big as his thumb. They were all different colors, shapes and sizes, with only one thing in common- they all were adorned with a thick layer of dust, as though none had been touched in a few years.

The Doctor closed the door slowly and quietly, as though not to disturb the resting instruments, which, in his mind, did not represent the cultures, or the music styles, as they once had, but memories. Plain old memories. Memories, that, even if they were the happiest times he had ever had, just tore at his hearts and threatened to overwhelm him.

He had lived a long time, but it hadn't meant losing people got any easier. In fact, in some cases, it just got harder.

The last thing he saw as he closed the door was a large grand piano sitting in the corner, music still in place as though the performer had just gone out to grab something, intending on returning to their recital, or practice.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to forget.

But, he failed.

* * *

><p>The Doctor strolled through the corridors of his TARDIS, searching for his granddaughter. She seemed to have wandered off once more.<p>

He was about to call out to her, inform her that they had arrived at their destination, when he heard something that sounded very much like a piano.

The notes were hesitant and uneven, but it was definitely a piano, a grand piano if he wasn't mistaken.

He looked around for a moment, listening carefully, until he identified the correct room. Pulling open the door he walked inside.

Susan was sitting on a small piano bench, looking intently at the keys as she played a tune the Doctor remember from Gallifrey. It was a simple lullaby, but the notes were uneven as she tapped out the tune using one finger.

"Susan," He said.

She looked up from the piano, "Grandfather," She smiled, "Look what I found. Is this from Earth?"

"Yes, my dear," He said with a sigh, "A piano."

"Well, I knew that," She said, "I've always wanted to learn to play one."

"I never realized you were interested in that sort of thing," He said, walking over to her and shooing her off the bench, "It takes a lot of practice you see."

He started to play a quiet song he had learned when he was first teaching himself to play.

"I never realized you could play," Susan said with a smile, "Oh Grandfather, could you teach me? Please?"

"It will be a lot of work," He warned her, but still she nodded.

"I want to learn," She said.

"Alright then," He scooted over slightly, letting her sit next to her, "We can begin now. First off, this note, is C…"

After that, when they weren't flying, the piano could be heard throughout the TARDIS. At first the music was very simple, halting and unsure, but, after a while, the tunes became more complex and beautiful.

After a while, the music stopped completely, along with the laughter, or the sounds of the young woman.

But the piano remained in the room, sitting quietly in the corner, waiting for someone to come along and make music.

* * *

><p>One day, as the Doctor sat in the Console room, awaiting Sarah-Jane's return from her room for a nap after an exciting adventure in Scotland involving the Loch Ness monster.<p>

He soon became bored with fiddling with his scarf and stood, intending to seek out his friend. After a minute of walking down hallways, he heard the sound of a piano being played. Sticking his head into the room he used as a music room, he saw Sarah-Jane sitting in front of his grand piano.

"Sarah? What's this?" The Doctor asked, curious, throwing his overly-large scarf over his shoulder so as not to trip.

"Oh, I just found this amazing instrument," Sarah-Jane smiled at him, turning to look over at him from her place on the piano bench, "Doesn't it sound beautiful?" She played a little more of 'Für Elise', lightly tapping the keys, smiling the whole time.

"I didn't know you could play," The Doctor smiled.

"Oh, not too well," Sarah-Jane stopped.

"It doesn't sound too bad to me," He replied.

"Can you play?" Sarah-Jane asked, taking them off the topic of her skill.

"Oh, once…" The Doctor said, "I'm not too sure if I'm any good anymore."

"Could you play something?" She asked with a smile, moving off the bench so he could move to it.

"Oh, alright, let's see," He sat down, searching for the correct places to put his hands, "I believe this was a song I could play…"

Soon, the tune of 'Moonlight Sonata' filled the room.

When he had ended, he looked up at Sarah-Jane, "So, how was it?"

"Beautiful," She said with a smile.

At his laugh as he stood up she smiled once more.

"No really, it was very good," She said, "When did you learn?"

"Oh, when I was a little boy," He said as he moved to exit the room, Sarah-Jane close behind him, "I had a friend who was fascinated by Earth instruments, he taught me the basics."

"Where did you get this?" Sarah-Jane pausing and motioning towards the grand piano as she stood in the doorway, "It's absolutely gorgeous."

"Well, I'm not too sure where this came from originally to be honest," He said, "I believe it was originally made in the nineteenth century, but restored in the twenty-seventh. They developed technology capable of restoring long-lost artifacts. I believe they were in the process of tearing it down for scrap wood to build a replica of the _Santa María_. I just saved it from being used as a mast or siding for a more valuable model."

"Well, I'm glad you did," Sarah-Jane smiled, "I love to play, and listen. You should play more often, you're very good."

"As are you," He smiled, "Now, I believe there is a terrifically good restaurant in southern Italy, late twenty-second century. I don't think you've eaten since before Scotland…"

As they left, Sarah-Jane slid the cover over the keys and switched the lights off, leaving the piano surrounded by alien instruments, some twenty feet tall, some only an inch. The only normal instrument(to her at least) standing out for the sole fact that it was the most normal instrument there. And it would stay that way. Resting, waiting to be played.

* * *

><p>The Doctor sat in his room, his feet resting on a large oak desk as he leaned back in a rickety-looking, but surprisingly comfortable desk chair.<p>

He stared blankly at the laces on his trainers, bored out of his mind as he waited for Rose to wake. It was about six in the morning, Earth equivalent, and he didn't want to leave unless she woke to find the TARDIS empty.

He tried to occupy his mind by counting as high as possible without losing track of Fibonacci's sequence.

He was at the thirty-first number(832040), when he heard music.

He sat up straight, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from exactly.

Jumping up, he decided to check the obvious place- the Music room.

As he neared the room, he realized he was correct. The sounds of a grand piano were floating through the door to the room devoted to music.

He pushed the door open quietly. Glancing around the room, not taking notice of the numerous instruments scattered around the place, he spotted Rose sitting in front of the piano, tapping out a tune with great care.

He approached silently, watching as she practiced.

"Rose?" The Doctor asked, as she sat quietly, looking at the piano. She jumped, as though she hadn't noticed him standing behind her, which was probably the case as he had walked into the room silently, not wanting to disturb her.

"Doctor!" She looked over her shoulder at him, then smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I saw the piano…"

"It's okay," He smiled, "I didn't know you played," He slid onto the small seat right next to her.

She laughed, "Not really. I took a few lessons when I was kid… but I wasn't any good and I stopped. Liked gymnastics better."

The Doctor nodded with a smile, remembering how that hobby had saved his life.

"Well you sound good for only having a few lessons years ago," He said, completely honest. It was true, although she didn't sound great, she sounded as though she had played a bit longer than a year when she was seven.

Once more the sheepish smile appeared on her face, "Sorry… I- well Jack and I sort of found it last year. He taught me a bit."

"Jack played piano?" The Doctor stared at her.

"Not that well, but loads better than I could," She grinned, "He taught me a couple songs," the smile slipped slightly, "I've been practicing them since he left." The smile brightened once more, "Do you play?"

"A little," The Doctor said modestly, "Not too well."

Rose scooted over a little, obviously meaning for him to show her.

He sighed, as though exasperated.

As he set his hands on the piano, he tried to remember how the song went. A few seconds later, he began with a smile. 'The Rose' filled the air, Rose sat still as he played, staying still after he had finished, trying to figure out the song.

"I've never heard it," She said honestly, "But I like it."

"It's called 'The Rose'," The Doctor smiled.

Rose grinned, "Well, how about that. You know…" She smiled, moving so she could look him in the eye, "I always pictured you as someone who would be one of those classical music piano people."

"A Classical Pianist," The Doctor smiled, "Well… I do know a few songs. Beethoven's Ninth. Actually, I helped him write it, him going deaf and all, thought he might need a hand, saved him from a few bad chords. He was a very stubborn man, that Ludwig."

Rose laughed, "I don't know when to believe you sometimes."

"It's true!" The Doctor exclaimed, "No really," He sighed, "Right, don't believe me," He stood.

"Were you looking for me?" Rose asked, standing, "Or did you just hear my…less than good piano skills?"

"They aren't bad," The Doctor assured her, "And yeah, I was. You wanted to see your mom right?"

"Yeah," Rose grinned, "I even got her a present, that Bazoolium."

"I _knew_ that was for her," The Doctor said, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid you'd sabotage it," Rose shrugged.

"Sabotage," The Doctor said blankly.

"I mean, you don't like my mum too much," Rose said.

"I like her fine… it's just she's Jackie…" The Doctor said, "And I wouldn't sabotage it, that would just be rude."

Rose shook her head and laughed.

"So…" The Doctor grabbed her hand as she walked down the wrong hallway, "Where're we going?"

"My room," She said, "I've got some dirty clothes mum can wash." At his groan she continued, "No moaning, I want to visit her for a couple hours, not seconds."

He sighed.

Rose broke the silence, "So, you don't think my playing's that bad?"

"Well, it could be better…" He said truthfully. At her glare, he added, "Here, how about, when we're done visiting your mum, I give you some lessons. I _did_ pick up a few things from my good friend Ludwig."

"I'll take you up on that," She grinned as they arrived at their destination.

The Doctor grinned and waited patiently as she packed her duffle bag to the brim with dirty clothes.

They exited the TARDIS twenty minutes later after he landed the time machine in the playground near Rose's apartment complex.

Six hours later, the Doctor entered the ship alone, and the piano lay forgotten.

* * *

><p>The Doctor wandered through the halls of the TARDIS, searching for his companion. It wasn't urgent so, instead of running about frantically as though the world was about to end(and it usually was in his case), he walked calmly, looking into rooms as he came to them. He stuck his hands deep into his pin-striped suit's pockets as he walked and hummed a tune he had heard somewhere but couldn't quite place.<p>

After a few minutes of this, the Doctor started to get bored. Wandering around the hallways of the TARDIS could be a little dull.

He was about to turn around and head back to the Console Room, Martha might be back in there by now, but he stopped when he heard something similar to music coming from a hallway to his right.

He followed the sound down two more hallways until he was standing outside a door labeled 'Music Room' in plain black letters. Why the room was the only one labeled(other than, randomly, the bakery), he had no idea, but as he gazed at the letters, he recognized what was making the music. His grand piano.

The notes floating through the door brought back the memories he had been trying to avoid. Those right before Canary Wharf. Although he was a slight masochist in the fact that, ignoring Martha slightly, he liked visiting places he and Rose had been, bringing back the memories, like New New York and New Earth.

But this was too close to Canary Wharf.

Frowning, he pushed the door open.

The sight of Martha playing quietly, pausing every now and then, as though unsure of the notes, gazing intently at a piece of music brought back a flood of memories, replacing Martha with Rose. It was some light, happy tune that moved quickly. Martha played it surprisingly well, he hadn't known her to play any sort of musical instrument, labeling her just as an avid student of medicine. He'd never even thought to ask what sort of interests she had.

"Martha? How'd you find this?" The Doctor said, trying not to think about the last person who had sat at that bench. Martha jumped slightly, pausing, and turning to look at him.

She relaxed slightly when she saw it was him.

"I was just wandering around and the door was open," Martha said, then noticed the look on his face, "I'm sorry… would you like me to leave?"

That's when he realized he might have been a little too harsh, "No, no, it's fine. They're meant to be played. It just… reminds me of someone."

"Rose?" Martha raised an eyebrow. Although she seemed to be sincere in her concern, the Doctor caught a little something behind her words. Jealousy?

No, not possible.

"Yeah," The Doctor nodded sadly, "If you want to keep playing, that's fine… but I'm just going to park her somewhere for a bit."

"We're going somewhere?" Martha perked up, grinning at the thought of adventure.

"Well, yeah," The Doctor said, scratching, "It'll just be a quick trip, then we can head off again, the TARDIS is a bit low on power."

"What do you mean?" Martha asked, standing, "You mean this thing has a battery?"

"No… not really," The Doctor said, "It's main power source comes from the vortex, but it needs power in able to-"

"Just say yes or no," Martha said with a smile.

"Sort of yes," The Doctor said, opening his mouth to continue, Martha cut him off once more.

"That's good enough for me," She smiled, "So where're we heading for this little 'recharging of the TARDIS battery'?"

"Cardiff!" The Doctor grinned.

"Cardiff," Martha said, staring, "Right…"

"Cardiff's not that bad…" The Doctor said, "Besides, we're not staying that long, nothing'll happen… Just refuel, then head off again."

As they exited the room, the lights dimmed, leaving the piano in the dark, once more forgotten, as the TARDIS spun through the vortex to its next destination.

The piano sat quietly in the corner, waiting for the next curious TARDIS-passenger to come along and play.

* * *

><p>The Doctor sighed, frowning at the sadness which accompanied the memories, and thought how strange it was that most random of objects could do such damage, and such normal memories could cause such strong emotions.<p>

That was the problem with living so long, you saw so many things, yet all they did was give you memories. Memories, which, later in life, may be the most painful things possible.

Yet they were reminders of happier times, when they could forget all the troubles of the world, pretending that the inevitable was just another thing lurking outside the TARDIS doors.

As the Doctor wandered back to the Console Room, he thought maybe, as he had done right before his regeneration, he shouldn't keep all those memories hidden. Well, maybe a few, but this time he wasn't positive that he was heading to his death.

Because, he realized, it was an endless paradox. If he stayed afraid of the pain the memories gave him, he would, because of common sense, seek out a way to stop memories. But then there would be no memories of happy times, like these, with his friends blaring music and dancing around, oblivious to the cruel universe outside the doors. Because that's how they made it through, to find the happiness in the world.

He frowned as he walked into the TARDIS console, wondering if either of the Pond's knew how to play the piano. Or wanted to learn.

**I hope you liked it. It has no plot, and the first and fourth regenerations might not be too on, but hey, I tried. Well, I didn't have to... but the first... well he's the first, and the fourth, how could I not include one of my favorite characters(Sarah-Jane). Sorry if the dialogue isn't too good(for the character I mean), and the fact that the basic story for each one was he's bored, she's wandered on a piano... hope it wasn't as boring as I just made it sound... yeah. Also- The Rose- Piano solo, is a really nice tune, I'd recommend it if you like piano music, it's not classical... not that classical's bad... So! Please review, I always appreciate helpful comments on how I could improve my writing. Thanks for reading (and reviewing :D).**


End file.
